In the darkness of night. She was waiting in a small clearing in the forest.
In the center of the clearing, a campfire crackled and blazed.
On the other side of the fire stood Tifereth and Elen. Elen was tied to a thick tree trunk with ropes, looking very much like a hostage.
However, Tifereth, standing before Elen, did not seem to be thinking of killing me by taking her disciple hostage.
“Oh, you’ve arrived, Axe User. Well, I was wondering what I’d do if my foolish disciple didn’t become bait, but I’m glad you came. Good, good.”
The female swordsman with long black hair slung her jet-black greatsword over her shoulder, a carefree smile on her face.
But her eyes were not smiling. She was like a great serpent before its prey, ready to tear out its throat with its sharp fangs.
“Douglas…! I’m sorry I got caught.” Elen called out, still tied to the tree. I was relieved to hear she sounded more energetic than I expected.
I had thought Tifereth had no motive to harm Elen, but I had been worried sick until I came here, wondering what would happen if something did.
“No, I’m just glad you’re doing well, Elen. If anything had happened to you, I wouldn’t have been able to hate everything in this world enough.”
When I replied, Tifereth reacted with interest.
“Heh. In that case, it might have been more interesting to inflict some harm──like this.”
*Whoosh!* Tifereth swung her greatsword towards Elen.
Elen’s metal breastplate was split in two, and the clothes beneath were cleanly torn.
The front of her clothes fell open, revealing Elen’s white skin and well-shaped chest.
“Wha…!? Wh-what are you doing, Master?! That was my best outfit!” Elen protested, her cheeks flushed red, at Tifereth.
Meanwhile, I breathed a sigh of relief again. “Really, you’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“Tifereth, stop it. You’re after a fight with me, aren’t you?”
“Well, that’s true, but…” Tifereth turned back to me.
“Hey, Axe User, I don’t like your smug face. It’s like you think everything will be fine no matter what happens. That’s why I want to see your true emotions. I thought if I cut open Elen’s chest with this sword, I might see your enraged face.”
“Tch… Yeah, you’ll see the angriest face imaginable. So stop it. I don’t want to hate you. I just came to settle things.”
“Oh, really? How noble of you. Well, I guess I’ll take it since I saw your irritated face. Even this foolish disciple is, after all, my dear disciple.”
Saying that, Tifereth swung her sword towards Elen again.
This time, Elen’s pants were split in two along with her underwear, revealing her nude parts.
“Wh-what?! Master?! You’re just playing with me, humiliating me, aren’t you!?”
“Ahahahaha! You’ve always liked that sort of thing, haven’t you?”
“I do! But still!”
“Well, you’re looking quite good now.” Tifereth said, turning back to me with a grin and provoking me.
“Now, Axe User. That foolish disciple is the prize for the winner of this battle. Aren’t you motivated now?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Elen is mine to begin with. I won’t give her to anyone.”
“Ahaha, you say that. Then try to take her back. With that axe, defeat me.”
“Ah, you don’t need to tell me.”
“Um, I’m mine, you know…” Ignoring Elen’s timid protest, Tifereth slowly sidestepped away from her disciple.
I moved to match her. We positioned ourselves with the campfire between us, and Tifereth and I faced each other, weapons at the ready.
We both wielded close-combat weapons. It was a close-quarters battle, where we could reach each other’s weapon range with about five steps.
“Well then, shall we start our killing spree, Axe User?”
“Ah. Let’s settle this, Greatsword User.” Like a reenactment of our previous battle, Tifereth and I kicked off the ground simultaneously.
***
While it may have been a reenactment of our previous battle, there was one major difference.
That is, my tag team with Lombardia had become far stronger than before.
When I fought Tifereth before, I probably only had about ten skills.
However, the skills I can now use are as follows.
───────────────────────
▼Passive Skills
[Enlightenment]
[Healing Ability]
[Charisma]
[Poison Resistance]
[Fire Resistance]
[Ice Resistance]
[Lightning Resistance]
[Acid Resistance]
▼Limited Use (Once per day)
[Absolute Defense] x 2
[Maiden’s Blessing]
[Holy Smash] x 3
[God Speed] x 3
[Magic Severing Axe]
[Yagaeshi]
[Pressure]
[Avenge]
[Limit Break]
[Holy War]
[Instant Heal]
▼Unlimited Use
[Go Easy]
[Tomahawk]
▼Special
[Demon God Transformation]
[Enslavement]
[Life Burn]
───────────────────────
My number of skills had tripled since then. This meant my options for fighting and my overall combat power had increased.
Back then, I thought it would be impossible to defeat this female swordsman without using [Demon God Transformation], but now──
But it wasn’t just me who had changed since then. As soon as she kicked off the ground, Tifereth’s lips curled into a smirk.
“I’m going all out this time──[Limit Break]!”
*Roar!* Intense fighting spirit erupted from Tifereth’s body, and her speed increased dramatically with her next step. It was a skill that instantly boosted all abilities, the same one Netsah, the Club Wielder, used.
But if that’s the case──
“Let’s go head-to-head──[Limit Break]!” I used the same skill as my opponent, following suit.
Tifereth’s eyes widened in surprise.
Then, we clashed.
*Clang, Clang, Clang, Clang!* My axe and Tifereth’s greatsword clashed fiercely, twenty, thirty times.
“Kuh…!” Tifereth lost her balance from the exchange. Seeing an opening, I stepped forward.
“I told you my power was superior!”
“Ah, I know──but I’m faster! ──[Dragon Flame Strike]!” Tifereth’s greatsword swung down, wreathed in powerful flames. It was a diagonal slash imbued with speed and sharpness far beyond anything before.
I had thought it was strange that we could exchange blows at such a speed, meaning there wasn’t much difference in speed. She had been luring me in.
Lombardia’s defense wouldn’t be enough. But I couldn’t afford to take a direct hit.
I instantly decided to use a skill.
“──[Absolute Defense]!” I activated a defensive skill that temporarily rendered me completely invulnerable. An invisible barrier enveloped my entire body.
However, at the moment she swung her greatsword down, Tifereth’s lips twisted into a smirk again.
“I knew you’d do that──[Absolute Penetration]!”
“Wha…!? ──Guhhhhhh!” A fierce impact struck my body. The force of the attack sent me flying backward.
The energy of Tifereth’s greatsword, clad in power, neutralized the [Absolute Defense] barrier I had used, forcibly breaking through my defense.
It was a skill effect I didn’t know about. The skill, named the absolute spear, paradoxically pierced the skill that was supposed to be the absolute shield.
A searing pain shot through my body from my left shoulder to my right flank. I could feel blood gushing from the deep gash the slash had inflicted.
Strangely, I intuitively felt that this alone was not a fatal wound. While it should have been enough to kill an ordinary person from shock, I felt I still had some leeway thanks to the power of Lombardia.
However, if she continued her onslaught like this, defeat was inevitable.
The image of “death” flashed through my mind for a moment, and the smiles of Miina, Elen, and Seraphina passed before my eyes.
──No hell no. I won’t end like this.
“Hah, you let your guard down, Axe User! ──Die!” Before I even landed from being blown away, Tifereth kicked off the ground again, closing in with terrifying speed.
“Douglas!” “Douglas-sama!” Miina, Elen, and Seraphina’s screams could be heard.
Don’t worry, I’m fine.
In mid-air, I let out a smile and snapped my fingers.
“──[Avenge]!”
“What!? ──Ahhhhhh!” *GUSH!* A deep, diagonal gash suddenly appeared across Tifereth’s body, and blood spurted out. The shock caused Tifereth’s legs to stop.
I landed during that time and kicked off the ground again, moving forward.
“[God Speed]!” *WHOOSH!* I approached Tifereth at a speed far surpassing hers and swung my axe.
“[Pressure] [Holy Smash]!”
“Kuh, [Dragon Scales] ── Ahhhhhhhhh!” Once again, the situation unfolded like our previous encounter.
Hit by Lombardia’s holy light-imbued strike, Tifereth was sent flying violently this time, soaring high into the air.
But unlike last time, I wouldn’t stop there. I had one more move.
I raised my axe sideways── “[Holy Smash] [Tomahawk]!” I threw my axe towards Tifereth. Lombardia spun at high speed as it flew.
“──Guh, Ahhhhhhhhh!” Tifereth, attempting to regain her posture in mid-air, was sliced by the holy axe that flew like a boomerang.
Tifereth was knocked down by the slash and crashed to the ground. I caught Lombardia as it returned and headed towards Tifereth’s landing spot.
Then, standing before the female swordsman lying on the ground, I pressed Lombardia’s blade to her neck.
“It’s my victory, isn’t it, Tifereth?”
“Hah… Hah… N-no way… No matter what, you’re too strong… This, this is impossible…”
“I’ll say it again. Tifereth, I win.”
“Guh… Ah, yes. This battle, it’s my loss. After all, this world is a jungle──you, the victor, may do as you please with me, the loser. Rape me or kill me, whatever you want.” Tifereth sprawled on the ground, pouting. Blood still flowed from the wounds on her body.
“Ah, I will. But first, healing. ──Seraphina, please heal her. I can handle myself, so please heal Tifereth.”
“Y-yes. Douglas-sama.” Seraphina rushed over and knelt beside Tifereth, using healing magic.
Meanwhile, my injuries were by no means minor. For an ordinary person, they would have been fatal. I assumed [Healing Ability] would eventually heal them, but with such heavy bleeding, I felt a little uneasy, and more importantly, Seraphina and the others were looking at me with worried eyes.
So, I decided to use a skill I had recently learned.
“[Instant Heal]” Upon activating the skill, my wounds glowed intensely, and after a moment, my body was completely healed. It was a complete recovery skill that could only be used once a day.
Seeing this, Seraphina seemed relieved and focused on healing Tifereth.
Speaking of which── Even though I hadn’t used [Demon God Transformation], a violent impulse was swirling within me. Tifereth had told me to do as I pleased, whether to rape or kill her. In fact, I would have to do one of them. And my inner impulse urged me to ravage this female swordsman.
Acting on one’s desires and doing something to an unwilling对方 is an act against humanity. However, I also didn’t want to choose the option of killing her.
While conflicted, I ultimately chose the option that aligned with my desires. I lunged at the now-healed Tifereth and tore her enemy’s clothes apart with brute force.
